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You may recall that the RVgeeks installed an Acuva Eco UV-LED water purifier in their RV last year. It’s been an awesome addition to their rig, but they wanted to really put it to the test. The lab test that is. So they visited a nearby river to draw samples, and even put the Eco to a really serious test by running highly contaminated water through it at Acuva’s facility. Not only do they share the test results in the video below, but they’ll tell you about Acuva’s latest model, which happens to be the prize in the latest RVgeeks Giveaway!

On Sunday, 12/16/18, one of you will win a brand new Acuva Eco 1.5 UV-LED water purifier! Watch the video above for complete details, then scroll down the page to enter for your chance to win. The giveaway ends on 12/16/18 at 7 pm Eastern / 4 pm Pacific time, so be sure to enter by then. Installation isn’t included, but luckily, RV Geeks’ original Acuva video shows you exactly how we installed ours.

RV full-timers—a growing group of hardy men and women who’ve traded in a traditional home for a home on wheels—are well-versed in the ups and downs of spending 365 days a year in close, tight quarters. These folks are accustomed to waking up in icy winter wonderlands, and love having a front-row seat to the changing seasons.

Whether you’re heading into your first winter as a full-timer or are thinking of taking your RV out of hibernation for a snowy adventure, we’ve put together a to-do list (with the help of some RV pros) to help you stay safe and warm all winter long.

Winterizing your RV

Sub-zero temperatures typically mean ice, snow, and biting winds. RVers must take proper precautions to keep their traveling homes in good working order through harsh winter conditions.

How to winter-proof the outside of your RV

Covering windows, doors, and stairwells. Some RVs are built to cold-weather standards and come equipped with high R-value insulation and dual-pane windows. If you’re traveling in a fairweather coach, consider upgrading your windows and insulation. Can’t justify the spend? Heavy fabrics, bubble insulation, and plastic film are cost-effective alternatives, on top of best practices like checking weather stripping and re-caulking windows.

Skirting your RV. An RV skirt’s primary function is to prevent heat loss and cold penetration, but it also offers added undercarriage protection—particularly when you plan to spend an extended period of time in freezing temperatures. The New Lighter Life family spent a year and a half aboard their RV, and came up with five DIY RV skirt solutions.

The folks at RV Doctor share another important pointer when RVing in the winter: be aware of the conditions around your coach, too. Whenever possible, keep snow off your roof (and away from vents, satellites, and exhaust pipes) to prevent it from seeping into your RV and causing damage or system malfunctions.

How to winter-proof the inside of your RV

RVers don’t have the luxury of a long, hot shower or bath after a day spent in the snow. Here are a few ways to winterize your RV’s interior:

Protect your RV’s water supply. Check to ensure your RV’s plumbing lines are run through heated sections of your RV; this will prevent freezing and maintain a steady water flow. A water purification system is a more sustainable, eco-friendly solution to hauling pallets of plastic water bottles on board.

Invest in compact heating solutions. Rather than run your RV’s in-unit propane furnace and drive up electricity costs, consider a space heater instead. Heated mattress pads are another great way to stay warm when temperatures dip overnight.

Make room for emergency items. A good rule of thumb for winter RVers is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Even though storage is in short supply, dedicate a space to emergency essentials like tire chains, solar charging panels, and extra blankets, clothing, and food.

Last-minute gift ideas for RVers

Of course, with winter comes the holiday season. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought we’d share a few of our favourite RV gift guides to help you find the perfect gift for the full-timer in your life

Wheeling It put together an RV gift guide for every occasion, capturing everything from safety to entertaining and adventuring.

Stefany (better known as The Fit RV) shared her shopping suggestions over on The Scenic Route blog. Coffee drinkers will love the portable, powerless k-cup coffee brewer, a great way to keep caffeinated when off the grid.

From all of us at Acuva, we wish you a safe, warm, and adventure-filled winter!

Right now we are in the midst of a clean water crisis. Although 70 per cent of the earth’s surface is water, only 2.5 per cent of that is freshwater. And with our global population expected to rise to a staggering 11 billion by 2100, it is essential we turn our attention to making sure the water we do have access to is safe to drink.

A July 2017 report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF revealed that more than 4.2 billion people currently don’t have access to safe water sanitation methods. That’s nearly 60 per cent of world’s population.

As North Americans, we are fortunate to have access to some of the cleanest, safest water on offer. However, even we cannot escape the risk of illness and disease from waterborne pathogens. It is easier than you might think for drinking water to become contaminated at the source, along the pipeline, or inside a “safe” container.

Ultimately, disinfection is key. As technology evolves, so too do the options at our disposal for improving access and availability to potable water.

Here’s a look at what is currently on the market for consumers:

Chemical disinfection

Chemical disinfection uses oxidants such as chlorine-based compounds to rapidly react and kill some (but not all) harmful micro-organisms. Adding chlorine has been used as a convenient water disinfection technique for swimming pools and other household applications. While fast and effective, there are significant health and safety concerns. For example, chlorine-based components are corrosive and must be handled with extreme caution and care.

Filtration

Filters trap particles in porous material structures, but still allow water to pass through. This technique is effective for removing things like sand and rust, but it cannot address materials that have dissolved into the water. Though relatively inexpensive, the pore size of most filters is too large to trap microorganisms, so they end up passing through into people’s drinking water. They also require regular replacement, making them a high maintenance approach with only moderate effectiveness.

Reverse osmosis (RO)

Membranes, such as those used in reverse osmosis (RO) systems, are also considered filters. RO systems are a more effective alternative for removing microorganisms, but tend to be difficult to install, consume a lot of energy, and have been found to waste up to 70 per cent of water post-treatment. Unfortunately, RO systems also strip water of its healthy minerals, taking the good with the bad.

Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection

One of the world’s most effective water treatment technologies, UV disinfection uses short wavelength radiation to deactivate microorganisms by disrupting their DNA. However, this technology is not without its limitations. Typically, UV lamps require replacement annually, along with monthly cleaning and maintenance requirements. Further, because UV lamps contain mercury and cannot be turned on and off (causing them to consume energy even when there is no water flow), their environmental impact has been the subject of much controversy.

UV-LED disinfection

Following careful observation of these and other techniques, scientists introduced a revolutionary technology known as UV-LED. With a longer lifespan (10+ years on average), low power requirements, and low maintenance requirements, the characteristics of UV-LEDs produce an optimal disinfection efficiency and is fast becoming the go-to source for water purification.

It’s no surprise we’re particularly endeared to this form of water purification. In fact, you’ll find it in all of our Acuva purification systems.

No matter whether you’re gearing up for a month-long adventure in your RV, heading out to the cabin for the long weekend, or cozying up at home, keeping yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy is always a priority. As a business based on transparency, we believe in providing honest, accurate information to help you make the best decision for you.

Traveling by RV requires considerable planning: mapping your route, packing your bags, prepping your vehicle, and picking your campsites are just a few items on the to-do list. And while RVing affords certain luxuries tenting does not, hitting the open road is not without its challenges--one of which is accessing fresh, clean water.

It’s no surprise the last thing you’d want on vacation is to fall ill. Consuming contaminated water places you at risk of vomiting, nausea, rash, diarrhea… all surefire ways to spoil an adventure. Because we are accustomed to potable water at home, consuming foreign water sources that may contain bacteria, viruses, and cysts can make for an uncomfortable travel experience

To protect your health and your holiday, we’ve pulled together some information all RVers should know about on-the-go access to safe drinking water.

Is Campground Water Safe to Drink?

There is sometimes the misconception that all campgrounds are reliable water sources. Of course, many sites do exercise tremendous caution and due diligence, taking the necessary precautions to monitor their equipment and supplies. In fact, most campgrounds will operate their own wells; these wells must be tested and approved before water can be supplied out to the general public.

However, because water purity, quality, and type can drastically differ between campgrounds (even across short distances), assurances from campground management will still leave room for doubt.

Particularly if you are traveling with children, the elderly, or anyone who is or may be pregnant, why take an unnecessary risk and rely on a source of unknown origins? Although it’s true there are a number of visible indicators of poor water quality--bad odour or a cloudy consistency, for example--many more are only found under a microscope. Consider, too, that water quality can change in as little as 96 hours, which means the water you have sloshing around in your RV’s holding tank--no matter how pure it was to begin with--can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and other micro-organisms.

What is the Best Way to Guarantee Water Quality?

Where once travellers could safely sip from fresh mountain streams, today these untreated sources are susceptible to harmful contaminants. A purification system offers peace of mind that the water you use and consume each day is both potable and palatable.

Some travellers might think relying on bottled water is the best approach, but fail to consider that the well water used to wash dishes, countertops, and other high traffic surfaces may be teeming with pesky micro-organisms that can cause illness. Further, plastic water bottles are wasteful, and storing them on board your RV chews up precious space.

Other travellers may choose technologies like reverse osmosis (RO) and UV fluorescent lamps to get the job done. However, these, too, have their shortfalls: both have high power requirements, RO systems waste a significant amount of water, and UV lamps require regular maintenance and replacement.

UV-LED is a cutting-edge technology that addresses these and other competitor weaknesses, delivering a complete solution you can trust. The advantages of a UV-LED water filtration system are plenty: in addition to effectively treating microbial contamination, it is low maintenance, energy efficient, and eco-friendly. When a UV-LED purification system is installed at the point of use, it ensures you and your fellow travellers will enjoy fresh tasting water, no matter where your spirit for adventure takes you.

At Acuva, we believe a well-designed product is one that offers a real solution to a real problem. Over the years, we’ve spent countless hours chatting to boat, RV, and cottage owners, learning more about their drinking water habits, likes, dislikes, and values.

These conversations inspired our suite of Arrow purifiers. Each system offers a complete water purification solution that is energy efficient, low maintenance, and environmentally friendly.

Today, we are proud to introduce you to the newest addition to our product line-up: the Acuva Eco Purifier.

Designed for Real Life

Success, for us, is about keeping our customers at the heart of our business. Your feedback helped us reimagine our 1L unit’s shape and size, resulting in a smarter, sleeker way to access clean drinking water.

You told us you value trust, and we listened.

We understand how important it is to have peace of mind that the water you serve your friends and family truly is safe to drink. You should never have to question or doubt its cleanliness or quality.

For years, we’ve delivered trusted water purification systems, and the Eco Purifier is no exception. By leveraging the latest in UV-LED technologies, we’ve raised the bar when it comes to safety standards, producing a unit to help you confidently enjoy the great outdoors.

You told us you value convenience, and we listened.

We’ve designed the Eco Purifier to be durable, low maintenance, and easy on the eye. The system installs alongside your existing tap, offering a seamless integration that won’t clutter your space.

Not sure when your water is ready to drink? The Eco Purifier’s intelligent light indicator makes it easy: a blue light means your system is up, running, and ready to serve clean, fresh-tasting water.

You told us you value space, and we listened.

At only 9.9” x 3.6” x 1.6”, the Eco Purifier is our smallest form factor yet.

We understand space on board your boat and RV is limited. Designing our product with compactness in mind allows you to reclaim space previously reserved for bulky water storage tanks and flats of bottled water.

Purpose built to fit below your sink, the Eco Purifier eliminates the need for alternative water purification techniques and technologies.

You told us you value performance, and we listened.

The Eco Purifier has a flow rate of 1L (or 0.25 gallons) per minute. Put another way, that works out to two 16oz water bottles every 60 seconds.

We’ve been working behind the scenes with our LED supplier to build ultra-efficient water purification systems. Incorporating new, more powerful LEDs means our system achieves the same result with fewer lights. This not only reduces the unit’s size, but also its power requirements. Unlike UV lamps, our patented UV-LED technology does not require you to keep the system running at all times; instead, the system is only activated when you turn the faucet on, providing purified water on demand.

Our Eco Purifiers are now available--click here to bring one with you on your next adventure.